“Start Quote

The report shows that while there is welcome progress, many
challenges remain”

End QuoteProf Sue BaileyRoyal
College of Psychiatrists

The report says during one hospital visit none of the
patients interviewed felt involved in plans about their care or treatment.

And some patients were unaware of what they needed to do for their discharge
to be considered.

The CQC says: "It has proved all to easy for cultures to develop in which
blanket rules deny people their basic rights - especially the right to
dignity."

And the regulator found the number of people subject to the act was rising,
with 48,600 people receiving care under the act last year, a 5% increase
compared to the period 2010-2011.

Mental health services also suffer from a shortage in specialists approved to
carry out the assessments which ensure the act is used appropriately, the CQC
says.

And during one in 16 visits by the CQC, hospitals had more patients than
beds. 'Extremely worrying'
Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing said: "It is
extremely worrying that mental health services are coming under increasing
pressure, with fewer specialists, higher bed occupancy and increasing
workloads."

In a joint statement, the charities Mencap and the Challenging Behaviour
Foundation said: "We are concerned that in many hospitals, abusive practices,
such as patients being over-restrained, locked up and overmedicated are being
allowed to continue.

"People's needs are simply not being understood and people with a learning
disability are particularly vulnerable because they often can't speak up for
themselves."

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "This government has made it clear
we expect the NHS to put the importance of treating mental health problems on a
par with physical health.

"This report confirms what we knew about institution bias, that is why we
support CQC's moves to strengthen regulation and monitoring of mental health
services."

Prof Sue Bailey, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: "The
report shows that while there is welcome progress, many challenges remain,
particularly with the current pressures on acute psychiatric services to respond
to those with severe mental illness.

"Worrying trends such as increased rate of detentions may have many causes,
but are something that should concern all of us."